ordinarily take least notice of their spirituall wounds in their cause and cure they are lumpish and heavie full of sad thoughts evill imaginations many times they roare and complaine but this is their Men doe mistake the spirits wound ignorance they know not what ailes them they are so mistaken in the cause businesse in hand that they judge themselves to bee under some bodily distempers by melancholie passions and other violent humours a great madnesse and ignorance in men and being fallen upon this point let mee tell you that melancholy prevailing in men doth come very neere to the trouble of conscience but it is not the wound of conscience here spoken of Satan makes it his bait and man makes it his burden but wee may not make it this wound concerning which I shall yeeld you two things 1. That melancholy given The operation of melancholie in man way unto doth corrupt the imagination and those actions of the minde or the â—ext instruments by which the minde worketh that therewith the heart affections and conscience are greatly distempered with feare and griefe and doe conceive a many uneschewable miseries against it selfe against which fancies and imaginations no arguments of reason can prevaile and this darkning vapour and blackish fume thus affecting the soule doth add torment unto it making it for the time uncapable of the sense of comfort I say this humour of melancholy hath very subtile spirits that flie up into the braine and the instrument of discretion and there they lodge their contagious qualities which corrupt the spirits and annoy both heart and braine whence arise strange imaginations and fancies in the head Head and heart having entercourse and body and soule being united the soule is nor thereby a little troubled 2. That what ever vaine men judge melancholy is not a spirituall maladie or the wounder spirit here spoken of the difference Melancholy is not the wounded spirit proved by 5. reasons betweene both is great as 1. In the ground and cause the troubles of melancholy ariseth either from naturall causes in the body or from supposed and fained causes the imagination conceiving things to bee so and so when indeed nothing is really so the trouble of conscience ariseth from the sight and sense of sin in the soule the apprehension of divine wrath due to man for sin and such like spirituall and reall causes 2. In the seate of it troubles from melancholy seate themselves in the head and naturall spirits the man having lost the right use of his wits and being mistaken in his imagination in conceits becomming monstrous true trouble is in the conscience and whole soule of man 3. In the cure of it physick may cure the one it being a bodily disease or distemper but it is not all artificiall and naturall meanes that can cure the wounds of the spirit 4. In the effects of it melancholy maketh a man simple and absurd in his thoughts touching himselfe such men will speake to you and yet conceive themselves to bee without head or heart and life they will tell you that they see Divels and feele Divels within them and you shall heare many odd things from them when as trouble of conscience looseth not it selfe but speakes according to the truth and feeling of it selfe 5. In the enlargement of it melancholy seldome or never worketh griefe for Gods dishonour it is not touched with sorrow for sin and when it is cured it gives not a man any ground and measure of spirituall joy it enforceth not a man to Christ for ease and rest it quickens no man to prayer and duty all which the wounds of the spirit in some men doe most kindly and savingly Thirdly and lastly let us know our selves rightly in our troubles of mind and we shall the better know our selves in our comforts nothing doth so prepare the heart for comforts and make us to rellish our comforts as the sense of soule trouble and heavinesse I dare affirme that if wee did know and finde our spirituall wants and wounds more wee would and should withall bee more upon the waies and feelings of comfort then we are Vse 2 Secondly let us have compassion on such who are wounded in spirit you see that such is the weight of their wounds as neither eye hath seene eare hath heard or tongue of man is able fully to expresse none can in any way of expression speake of it but such as have more or lesse felt it and shall we passe by any that are labouring under this burden not yeelding them our pitie 't is a foolish madnesse in many to thinke this sicknesse and this wound to bee but passion conceit and mopishnesse put into their heads by reading good books or hearing some strict Preachers or melancholy because it often changeth the body they think it ariseth from the body and what need all this adoe about it it is cursed cruelty in any to looke upon any labouring under this wound crying out against them censuring of them for hypocrites and in thought sentencing them to hell blaspheming their God and their religion O Considerations for the pitying of wounded in soule you ignorant men learne better and be now instructed 1. That there is no disease for symptomes and torments like unto this all other maladies are naturall but this is supernaturall they come from the constitution of the body this of the soule in them the humours first in this the conscience first and humours last are distempered they may all bee cured by naturall remedies the body may be brought to a fittemperature but it is not all the medicines under heaven that are meerely naturall can cure or comfort here 2. That it is an argument of an unsanctified and stony heart within maÌ„ to disregard taxe or censure men under the miseries of inward perplexities you being mercilesse and wanting tendernesse and experience cannot pittie them aright 3. Blessed are such as judge wisely of such poore soules and do labour to relieve their soules in their woundings this is a worke of mercy indeed and a businesse becomming the most excellent of Christians Motives to pitie and to relieve wouÌ„ded Christians Christ himselfe received his annointing and was sent of God to bind up the broken hearted Esay 61. 1 2 3. Ministers have the tongue of the learned given them to speake a word of comfort to such whose soules are wearie Esa 50. 4. and shall not wee that are Christians comfort the feeble minded and support the weake 1 Thes 5. 14. bearing one anothers burden O let us pity such and pray earnestly to God for such considering our owne case Gal. 6. 1. would wee not bee prayed for were wee in their conditions Vse 3 Thirdly how thankfull should all Christians bee for their freedome from this great burden of a wounded spirit tell me are you set at liberty and is all peace and rest within are the bands of the distresse broken wouldst
have done when the spirit is wounded it is most in agitation and in a manner taken up wholly with reflexive acts it is ofttimes with a troubled conscience as it is with troubled waters the troubling of which fetcheth up that mud and filth which lay sunke and buried below men doe begin to see more clearely what they have done by what they suffer let God trouble Iosephs brethren and this presents unto them their long past guilt in selling their brother Gen. 42. 21. and when Israel was troubled with Gods wrath and mortality they could now read their sinnes in Gods countenance Psal 90. 7 8. 4. Confession and acknowledgement 4. Confession of sin of sinne deepe wounds provoke unto vomiting and although we are naturally as apt to conceale as to commit sinne yet spirituall wounds will not long bee hid David like a childe had hurt himselfe and hee hides it hee had taken downe poyson and keepes silence but at last the wound festred and his heart was too heavie for his body so as hee roareth for the disquietment of his spirit and he is made most freely and humbly to acknowledge his sinne unto God Psal 32. 3 4 5. 5. Detestation of sin spirituall 5. Hatred of sin wounds doe worke in the godly deepe hatred against sinne O this lying under the sense of wrath this racking under the strong and piercing accusations of conscience for sin doth incense the soule with the deepest loathing of sinne that may be so that the broken sinner saith unto it get thee hence Esa 30. 22. 6. Reformation of life endeavours 6. Change of life of obedience for the future with watchfull feare against sinne is the fruit of the spirituall wound in Gods children such doe say now I finde and feele what it is to venture on stollen waters and what it is to taste the pleasures of sinne for a season O I am now in the flames I have found a dart striken thorough my liver and what have I to doe any more with idols Hosea 14. 8. If God will once heale my soule and pardon me my sin J will not sinne against him as I have done in time past but I will take him for my God and doe unto him all the possible service for his honour that I can For the grounds occasioning Causes of the vvound in mans spirit 9. the wound of the spirit in men J finde them very different and they are more generall or speciall and particular I shall name some of them 1. Sinne committed 1. The wound in mans spirit is caused by sinne if any thing dishearten feare and distresse the soule it is sinne every sinne committed and lying upon the conscience is a wound to conscience Now when you sin so against the brethren yee wound their conscience saith Paul 1 Cor. 8. 12. whence I inferre if another mans sinne will wound another mans conscience then much more a mans owne sinne will wound his owne conscience this is true * Maluâ—â— culp◠〈◊〉 bit maluâ—â— poenae that all mans miserable and penall evills whether inward or outward doe follow his sinfull evills had there beene no sinne there had beene no wound and thus man is the entire cause of his owne wounding if we bee Hosea 1â— 9. tasting of the forbidden fruit sucking at the pleasures of sin and doe swallow downe the secret poyson thereof no marvaile if it cast our soules and and spirits into paine and vexation and unspeakeable stretchings and strainings Note that as it is all sin in generall so it is What sins do most of all wound conscience the greatnesse aggravations and repetitions of some sins in particular which doe greatly wound conscience within man I meane unnaturall sins such as are sinnes of blood and sins of uncleannesse unreasonable sins committed contrary to the cleare light of reason as sinnes of Rebellion and Treason found in Achitophel and Iudas formall sins which is the slubbering over Gods services out of custome and for fashion when a man knoweth he ought to doe them with holinesse of affection and highnesse of reverence locall sins the sinnes of a mans calling and place such as are idlenesse unfaithfullnesse and unrighteousnesse in buying selling borrowing lending restoring and the like sins against vowes solemnely made against sin yea and sins of repetition men going over the same sins often all these and other the like sinnes doe not a little wound conscience in men 2. The wound is caused by â— Sin fel. the sensible apprehension of the debt and guilt of sin guilt apprehended in depth is the greatest wounding of conscience that may bee when a man comes to know his transgressions and to possesse the sinnes of his youth finding the fastning of sin in the venome of it upon his soule this is the great maladie and disease of the soule there is nothing so mortall and deadly as sin is and there is nothing more terrible and troublesome then for a man to see himselfe a sinner without a Saviour and to reade his own sins unto himselfe in an unpardonable manner it is one thing to reade a sin in the Word and another thing for the Word and conscience to make us to reade it in our selves in all the offence and danger and damnation of it Psal 51. 3. Iob 13. 25 26. The wound is caused by the The Law over pressed or over applied over-taking of the threats and enforcements of the Law unto a mans selfe the Law is terrible and causeth the bondage of the spirit putting a man to his deepest distresses when as sinne and conscience doth meete and mingle with it There are two things about Two things about the Law the Law causing the wound of spirit in man 1. One is The unskilfull managing of it by the Ministers they preaching it without reference to the Gospell as it was delivered on Mount Sinai 2. Another is The overfastning of the Law in its terror and execration upon a mans selfe the Law hath an extreame curse written in it selfe it renders up a man a sinner to the severity of Gods justice and irresistibility of his wrath it powers in the fiery indignation of the Almighty and acknowledgeth no Saviour at all Now when a man shall write downe after the Law that he is a man every way under the execration and exaction of the Law this is the sadnesse and sicknesse of his spirit Rom. 7. 9. When the Law came sinne revived and I died 4. The wound is made by the tasting of divine wrath when God is not felt in his love but that there is a folding Tasting of divine wrath up the former intimations from the soule there is a mighty wound in the spirit as we may see in David Psal 77. the first 10. verses how much more horrible and wounding to the spirit is the apprehension of the angry and wrathfull face of God setting it selfe against a man Iobs mind was exercised with this
of his in adversity Nah. 1. 7. That God will be with his in the fire and water Esa 43. 2. That all miserable evills shall end in spirituall good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. And that that God who hath shewed his great and sore evills will quicken them againe Psal 71. 20. 21. Now the spirit gathers spirits unto it selfe and is made lively and strong yea it gets upon the rocke and triumphs over all trouble Having thus opened the point unto you the Application must needs be this Vse 1 First to discover unto us that evillnesse of spirit which is in the sonnes of men I may justly complaine that most men doe want soundnesse and sincerity of spirit to beare them up in evill times considering Two evidences of weaknes of spirit 1 Feare two things 1. Some men doe overfeare troubles before they come the very empty thought and conceit of troubles is terrible and perplexing unto them when it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart was mooved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are mooved with the winde Esay 7. 2. When Belshazzar saw the comming forth of the fingers of a mans hand and writing over against the Candlestick upon the plaister of the wall his countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 5 6 7. and even so is it with too too many among us the very newes and conceit of troubles or calamities which possibly may befall them doth put them into such shaking fits that they know not what to doe with themselves and now tell mee where is the soundnesse and strength of your spirit call you that a stout spirit that is daunted with the report and thought of calamity Ob. Good men have feared troubles Sol. Know that there is a A twofold fearing of troubles 1. Of faith twofold fearing of troubles before they come The one is a carefull and beleeving feare opposed to carnall security which was found in holy Iob who said the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me Iob 3. 25. Surely the good man in his prosperity did not cast of all thought of adversity but did wisely consider that a change might come upon his estate and family it might be that his sun might bee darkned and his day turned into night and he looked upon his children and wife and friends and stock and honour as things dying and fading there being no constancy in outward mercies unto any The other is a carking and 2. Of distrust distressing feare opposite unto faith and comfort a fearing either without a cause or beyond all bounds thorough the utter mistake of a miserable condition unto the sons of men wherein feares doe cut and divide the heart even emptying a man of all present joy and future hope this now is an argument that the spirit of infirmity doth possesse a man and that hee wants that spirit which will sustaine a mans infirmity 2. Some men are overburdened 2. Faintnesse by the crosses which do befall them the least crosse that is doth sink them and they cannot beare or endure any calamity indeed before that troubles come they wil brag boast as if they would could carry al the world before them and no adversity could overmaster them or their spirits but when they are put to it and the day of triall commeth alas they are men of very poore and impotent spirits Achitophel like who being under disacceptation most desperately hangs himselfe as being no way able to beare it O how do men roare and complaine and lie downe in the dust suffering crosses to binde them hand and foot and to spoile them of all their comforts it is strange to observe the weakenesse of spirit in some men who though they have many comforts for one crosse yet that one crosse doth so dampe and daunt them that all joy and comfort is gone and they are mightily overwhelmed thus doe most men want supporting spirits and surely their strength is weake who faint in the day of trouble Pro. 24. 10. and such men may doe well to suspect the soundnesse of their spirits certaine it is that there is a want of soundnesse of spirit where the supportance of spirit doth wholy faile cease to wonder that thou art so sinking and fainting and leave crying out against the greatnesse of thy present trouble knowing that there wants such a spirit within as should be which is the cause of this thy failing Quest But may not a deare childe of God faint and his spirit faile him in the day of his calamities Sol. Unto this I answer three things 1. That it may so fall out that a Christian indeed may bee to seeke of the helpe and strength of his spirit in and under crosses befalling him Suppose him 1. To have forfeited the sense of divine favour 2. To have formerly neglected or abused divine assistances 3. To be suddainely surprized by the strangenesse and the strength of the calamity comming upon him 4. To bee followed both with the continuation of some grieving affliction or the multiplication and comming in of one crosse upon the neck of another And surely in these and the like times the spirit within him which alwaies retaineth strength and might may not be so serviceable and supporting unto him as at other times it hath beene and in time to come it may be againe 2. That though there may be much fainting overtaking the spirits of sanctified men for a time yet it is not totall faintnesse there is and may be a very weake upholdment the spirit is many times well neare spent in the spirituall conflict and labouring under some grievous wounds and now it upholds in much weaknesse a horse that is almost tired carrieth his burden but not in that pace and with that mettle as when hee was fresh there are degrees of strength sometimes wee are holpen with a little helpe Dan. The strength of the spirit is graduall 11. 34. and it is a day of small things with us and it is not much that the spirit within doth for us at other times the spirit being freed is more full of assistance and carrieth us thorough all troubles one mans spirit may sustaine him under his infirmity more then another yea and the spirit of the same man may at one time and in one crosse more beare him out then in another Witnesse David who in the case of Nabal was very weake and passionate he had scarce the spirit of a man in him But now in the case of Shimei where the crosse was farre greater his spirit did with much strength beare him out 3. That there is a double sinking of the spirit under afflictions or miserable evills 1. One arising from the weaknesse of nature in the
want of all grace and thus the godly faint not 2. Another arising from the weaknesse of grace by the opposition of temptation and corruption And thus the godly may faint in part but they shall come to a recovery of themselves againe it is with the godly in their sinkings under afflictions as with a man that is skilfull to swimme at the first when hee is cast into the water he is over head and eares and the whole body is covered but by and by hee riseth up againe and swimmes upon the water commanding the water under him whereas it is with a meere naturall and carnall man in his sinkings under afflictions as it is with a stone cast into the deepe there is a great noise made but he sinketh lower and lower and never riseth up againe Vse 2 To examine the strength and sufficiency of our spirits to our enabling under the crosses wee suffer tell me not so much of the greatnesse and grievousnesse of your crosses which you are quick enough to doe but answer me what is the spirit within you and how doth it serve and helpe you can it and doth it sustaine you rightly bearing the burden for you I yeeld 1 That some mens spirits can do sleight crosses and seemingly they make nothing of them but with the Leviathan they laugh at the shaking of the speare but this is an argument of an evill and naughty spirit not to be sensible of Gods hand and rod. 2 That men carnall and formall to outward seeming are marveilous hardie in temper and stout in spirit and have without flinching or fainting passed thorough many afflictions and endured extreame torments when alas they have brawned themselves or a spirit of slumbering and benummednesse is cast upon them and for some selfe aimes they have onely restrained passion in the meane time they doe remaine destitute of all positive joy peace and confidence and want the assurance of the goodnesse of their spirits in bearing the crosse befalling them Quest How may a man know that by a sound and good spirit he beareth the crosse and calamity which God layeth upon him Three signes of a sound spirit upholding man under the crosse Answ By these Signes 1. When the cause of suffering is good a good spirit cannot beare up in an ill cause when a man suffers as a murderer â— A good cause or as a thiefe or as an evill doer or as a busie body in other mens matters as it is written 1 Pet. 4. 15. Now conscience cannot uphold but when a man suffers as a Christian and is reproached for the name of Christ conscience can and doth uphold as you may reade in the 14. and 16. verses of the same Chapter we see the stoutnesse of the Apostles enduring the lash and the prison was grounded on this that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Acts 5. 41. 2. When the carriage under 2. A good carriage the crosse is becomming a good spirit which carrieth a man under Six waies of the spirits carrying a man under the crosse the crosse 1. With silence stopping inward frettings and outward murmurings against the Lord making a man to say yet my soule be silent unto the Lord it layeth the mouth in the dust and dares not open the mouth against the Lord to charge him foolishly 1 Sam. 3. 28 29. Psal 39. 9. 62. 5. 2. With submission and subjection the soule is low and very humble poore and exceeding empty the man is cast downe under Gods hand and will saying it is the Lord let him doe as it seemeth good unto him 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2. Sam. 15. 25. 3. With thankefullnesse the man can kisse the rod and blesse the rod and say with Iob the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1. 21 22. 4. With religion making God as lovely and good and worthy to be praised prayed unto under calamity as at any other time of prosperity a man under the power of a sound spirit doth loose much of his sinne nothing of his godlinesse I dare say he is more quick and hearty in his devotion then at other times the soule doth now settle it selfe upon spirituall imployment and is taken up with God Is any man afflicted let him pray Iames 5. 13. 5. With humiliation now a man shall finde the guilts of his sinne and doth consider the deserts of his sins he can and doth weepe more for the sinfullnesse of sinne then for all the evills he doth sustaine and endure he well knoweth that man suffereth for his sinne and that sinne deserveth more evill then God inflicts upon his children and that the evill of sinne being the greatest of evills can never be sufficiently bewailed 6. With hope waiting upon Gods time and pleasure for deliverance out of trouble expecting that great good shall happily befall him in and by all the troubles which he endureth he considers that as the Bee hath his sting so hee hath his honey and crosses have their comforts in the latter end as well as bitternesse in the beginning Note I say such men doe put themselves into the covenant and promise and will keep themselves there they doe see the Covenant going along with them in their trialls and troubles and doe beleeve that a little assured good is above a great deale of sensible evill and this is the moderation of their spirit in and under the rod. 3. When their comming out 3. A good issue of trouble is glorious and gratious a sound spirit doth beare afflictions with power unto profit and carrieth all painefull evills with soveraigne good unto it selfe so that when a Christian is at the end of his trouble and tossings he shall set downe with great cost and recompence having the great fruit of his patience even blessed is he that endureth and the Spirit of God and glory shall rest upon him he shall say with David before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Psal 119. 67. And it is good for me that I have beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes verse 71. Neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby Heb. 12. 11. if we can finde any good by afflictions that our proud hearts are humbled that our corruptions are weakned and wasted that our graces are quickned and enlarged and that we are in any degree made more holy and heavenly this is an argument unto us that we have borne all our afflictions by the strength of a sound spirit Vse 3 Labour that there may bee found within you a good and a sound spirit to beare you up under your troubles we know not to what times of tryall God hath reserved us wee may meete with the crosse and calamity may be our portion wee know not how soone and then strength to beare will doe well but know that there is nothing
Shut carnall security out of doores 2. Avoide all occasions of sinning play not upon the hole of the Aspe and come not neare the den of the Cockatrice 3. Wisely withstand temptations unto all sin and wickednesse 4. Keep close to the rule in a holy and religious practise 5. Give contentment unto conscience in nothing willingly offend or displease it this is the wages that is due unto it for sustaining our infirmity we are not to displease such a friend that beareth all our costs and charges and taketh upon him the burden of all our cares and doth not conscience much more for us Learne then 1. To give God The contenting of conscience stands in 2. things content in the pleasing of God you greatly content conscience the servant hath no reason to bee offended all the while his master is quieted 2. To promote conscience in its power unto its place conscience must bee more worth unto us then the world wealth must not buy it worship cannot equall it and wee must not preferre the pleasing of men or our selves unto it it is the discontent of conscience to bee undervalued or to bee put off at low rates and surely if the governement of conscience bee despised it cannot bee pleased conscience is conscience and will and must bee knowne and acknowledged to bee conscience you must heare and obey conscience goe and doe what conscience enjoyneth wee must worke and stop and feare and hope and give and lend and restore when conscience bids us conscience must not be crossed and vexed by us wittingly or willingly it deserves better of us 6. Prevent the wound and torment of it take care that you make it not terrible and troublesome unto your selves if it be your burden how shall it then be able to sustaine your infirmity we reade forward in the Text a wounded spirit who can beare THE BVRDEN of the spirit under its wounds But a wounded spirit who can beare HEere wee have the impotencie of mans spirit against inward perplexities laid down by way of an interrogation which is a most vehement Negation who can beare i. e. no man can beare it in which words the Holy Ghost doth teach us these two things 1. That the spirit of man may be wounded 2. That the wounded spirit is insupportable Wee will begin with the possible estate of the spirit or conscience of man which is this Doct. 2 That it may come under great and fearefull wounds I am Mans spirit may be greatly wounded poore and needy and my heart is wounded within me saith David Psal 109. â—2 and againe he tells us that his spirit was overwhelmed within him Psal 142. 3. we finde wicked men and good men wounded in their spirits unto great vexation I shall briefely open unto you three things 1. What a wounded spirit is 2. The difference of the wound in the good and bad 3. The grounds and causes of this wound For the first know that a wounded spirit is a spirit which A wounded spirit what for the time doth sensibly suffer miserable and in a sort hellish evills in a distressefull uncomfortable fearefull restlesse and desperate manner There goeth to the making of the wounded spirit these things 1. Miserable and in a degree hellish evills I say that innumerable evills doe compasse the soule it is not one misery but an army which doth at this time follow a man thou renewest thy plagues against me and thou increasest thy wrath upon me changes and armies of sorrowes are aginst mee saith Iob 10. 17. the soule is cast into a peck of troubles and into the abundance of calamity yea and it is such kind of misery which nothing can better represent and shaddow then the very paines of the damned the soule for the time feeleth that gnawing worme and lieth as it were boyling and frying in hell fire there is no torment like unto it it goeth beyond all having a fullnesse and exquisitenesse of misery in it 2. The feeling of those miserable evills a man hath now his conscience opened and is made to know and apprehend the extremities of miseries which now lieth upon him even with fullnesse of weight the spirit of man is living and very tender and misery and distresse is felt In a seared conscience there is nothing but senselesnesse for that is past feeling Ephes 4. 19. but in a wounded conscience there is some life and tendernesse the practicall notions are not quite extinguished the naturall light is still burning and indeed miseries would not be miseries unto us did they not touch us to the quick 3. The manner of the apprehending of those miserable evills which is every way most grievous for First of all it is with much distrosse of foule the soule is thereby filled with unspeakeable Psal 77. anguish and paine it is as it were put upon the rack and putto torture and torment in extremity my soule is soretroubled saith David Psal 6. 3. there is such a strange oppression upon the spirit that the heavinesse of it is unto death Mat. 26. 37. Secondly it is without all comfort unto the spirit it is all darknesse without the mixture of light the spirit of a man is so drunke up that it now wasteth it selfe in daily heavinesse O that my griefe were well weighed saith Iob 6. 2. My soule refused comfort saith David Psal â—7 2. a man under the wound of conscience is so under the power of discomfort and so swallowed up of heavinesse that the soule can enjoy no spirituall or naturall comfort for the time every thing doth terrifie it nothing doth comfort it Thirdly it is a spirit filled with horror and feare and that not only in the apprehension of present misery but by the expectation of more and future evills the wounded spirit is a spirit of horrible bondage and keepes a man in bondage to servile terrors trembling thoughts the dreadfull sound is alwaies heard and such men doe create meditate and multiplie feares the spirit of trembling doth so overtake them that they are a terror unto themselves they daily apprehend nothing but guilt and wrath and death and hell and damnation Iob 15. 21. Deut. 28. 65. Dan. 5. Ier. 20. 4. Fourthly it is full of unquietnesse and daily tossings and tumblings it is exceeding restlesse and raging O the disquiet of a wounded conscience the sea in time of tempest is not more raging and rowling madnesse is not more working and unquiet the plague and other impetuous diseases are not more vexing and restlesse to a man then a wounded spirit is Thou keepest mine eyes waking saith David Psal 77. 4. When I held my tongue my bones consumed thine hand is heavie upon me day and night Psal 2. 3 4. My sore ran and ceased not in the night Psal 77. 2. Why art thou so disquieted within me O my soule Psal 43. 5. Lastly the spirit is cast into the devouring gulfe of desperation such under the feeling of their
and it was his wounding The arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinkes up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against mee c. Iob 6. â—4 5. The wound is made by the failing of testimonie from Failing of conscience conscience unto man upon repaire made unto it the good or evill day of a Christian is set by the voice of conscience unto him Now when conscience is silent and shall speake neither good nor bad unto a Christian when as no testimony at all shall stand up but after great and studious enquiry no verdict can bee obtained this is asad wound to the spirit The misery of conscience in silence in three things and it doth exceedingly distract and divide a Christian Note the effects of conscience in silence 1. It giveth man but a negative estate and that cannot satisfie and settle the soule it is not enough to my quiet that God lookes not as mine enemy but hee must looke like a friend on me 2. It giveth suspition of a neutrall estate so as a man cannot tell whether God and conscience be for him or against him 3. It breeds a suspition of a bad estate withdrawments and suspensions are sometimes the fore-runners of bitter intentions 6. The wound is in the spirit from the over great accusing Accusations of conscience power of conscience conscience in its accusations shewing the guiltinesse of sin and expressing the anger of God towards a man for sin in a cheerefull and excusing conscience we may behold a gratious God Note accepting and acquitting us in a silent conscience wee can suspect a doubtfull God wee know not which way God is or will be unto us and in an accusing conscience we doe behold an angry God and our selves most miserable creatures when a Christian shall bee totally under the accusations of conscience that his conscience shall speake nothing to him but that his heart is base and vile and that in such and such particular passages of his life he was not right and perfect but hollow and hypocriticall when I say conscience shall thus charge sin upon men this is the time of their wounding as wee may see in Iudas Mat. 27. 5. 7. Another thing which maketh the wound within us is Selfe jealousies an evill jealousie and an over-hard opinion of our selves and estates towards God Some men fall out with themselves and other men fall from themselves shall I say that they censure themselves and charge themselves falsely concluding against a state of grace and charging themselves with hypocrisie and insincerity without just cause Sure I am this is too too frequent among Gods children who upon such grounds as these doe mis-judge themselves and thereby make too great a wound within their spirits I say because they finde within themselves the want of such measure of graces and expressions of obedience which they once had desire to have and see others have when they see within themselves a partiall and temporary indisposednesse unto spirituall required duties when as gifts and graces for a time lie hid and dead in respect of vigour and sensible operations when all endeavours seeme to be fruitlesse and a Christian finds to his seeming the ordinances to go and come without all life and power unto him passing no influence of bettering into his soule Now hee sits him downe in griefe and the soule begins not onely to misgive or mistrust it selfe but to question the truth of all and it not only feares but concludes that surely the hands were washed in vaine and whatsoever hath beene done in religion and in the service of God it hath beene done in hypocrisie Psal 73. 13. and can you conceive how deepely this doth wound the spirit of a man 8. A next thing greatly wounding to the spirit of man is the New risings of old sins New rifings of old sins I meane when those sins which long since were committed and long since bewailed and long since renounced and wee long since did obtaine within our hearts some comfortable assurance of their pardon do meete us in their guilt not yet remooved as a debt not yet discharged and as an evill not yet thoroughly healed this causeth miserable trouble within the soule and upon this these conceits fall in Surely this sin of mine is not pardoned why would God remember it Surely there was but a skinning over the soare my heart was never healed by Sanctification how could it be that my sins should haunt mee againe this is now the sicknesse and death of many a soule 9. Lastly I conceive that this maketh the wound in the spirit Want of some good desired of man the want of some desired good it is not the absence of good generally considered which maketh the spirit to bee wounded for there are such whose unfeelingnesse is such that they have no sense of sinne nor of any spirituall want lying upon them but that which maketh the wound of the spirit to a man is this when his wants are presented unto him and their supplies are suspended and denied the soule would have mercy and mercy is denied him he would have ease and he seekes it and yet he is kept in misery when a mans prayers makes not their returnes but a man calles and none answers comforts delayed or denied do breake the heart and greatly wound the heart Doct. 3 I passe on to the next point That a wounded spirit is a burden The wound suffered yet not borne insupportable by the sonnes of men no man can beare it men must suffer and endure the perplexities thereof but beare A twofold bearing it that is to sustaine a mans selfe under it no man can this wound cannot bee borne with 1. With ease ease so as men enduring and feeling it should make nothing of it but it is with 2. With difficulty great difficulty and disquietment a burning feaver carrying Simile with it the inflammation of the spirits is not borne without much sense and horror so a wounded spirit even by the stoutest of spirits cannot be borne then with strongest and strangest torments men must yeeld themselves unto it and lie downe under it of necessity nay it is a wound unsupportable to all men that are vexed with it there is no withstanding The burden is too great 1. To good men 2. To bad men this wound by any man nor any standing under it by any man unto bad men it hath beene unsupportable O how grievous was it unto Caine who cries out My punishment is more then I can beare Gen. 4. 13. Iudas out of the trouble felt by it hangs himselfe to be rid out of it Mat. 27. 4. many thorough the weight and torment of it have beene forced to throw themselves downe from high mountaines to stabb and poyson and drowne themselves nay unto good men whose grace and strength was great and much this wound hath beene wounding
and mudding of warrants when faith is kept from the cleare apprehension of promises and cannot see all its priviledges when men will cast mists of misinterpretation and jealousie upon the promises questioning their goodnesse or truth either in themselves or to themselves now love cannot be so felt and apprehended as it might be let it be your work therfore to reade over the promises of God to faith and make them as plaine and cleare to faith as you can consider well how many grants of favour are made over to faith and enlarge faith in these promises and then shall you finde and feele much love in your soules 4. Wisely support your soules and uphold your selves by these ensuing considerations 8. Things for the setling the soule in the absence of divine love 1. That it is no new or strange thing for Gods dearest children in their sense to be forsaken of divine love and to have apprehensions of divine wrath towards them the light of Gods love was withdrawne for a time from Christ the Sonne of Gods onely love and from his Church Psal 44. Lam. 3. 2. That God doth never withdraw the sense of his love from any of his children but for some speciall causes and profitable ends such as are 1. The triall of their disposition and temper towards himselfe it is an excellent spirit that can love God frowning and depend upon God absenting and withdrawing himselfe I will wait upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of Iacob and I will looke for him Esay 8. 17. 2. The ransacking of their Causes of Gods suspending his love from his soules now they goe to seeke and finde out all the idols of indignation that are remaining within them a little of Gods anger felt and apprehended doth much afflict the heart with sorrow for sinne and eate out the love of sinne within a man doth never apprehend and feele his sinnes with more griefe and hatred then in the times of Gods absences as 1 Sam. 21. 1 2. 3. The putting us into the most excellent life of faith our disposition is to live too much by sense and wee would alwaies enjoy God by sight but for as much as sight is reserved for another world and there we shall have the full and constant fruition of Gods love by vision God will and doth in this life exercise us in the life of faith making us in the non-feeling of love to beleeve love unto us 4. The searching out of their grounds and evidences to see if that there bee any thing of God left within them by which they may gaine any assurance that God doâ—h love them 5. The preparing of them for greater apprehension of his love and favour in time to come God many times after a little absence doth shew himselâ—e more glorious and comforâ—â—ble in his love to the soule then ever he did in times past in the little forsakings of God the soule is more set after God and more enlarged to receive from God the testimonies of his love then ever it was formerly Now then if God will doe his children good in and by the withdrawments of his countenance from them why should they bee so dejected as they are under them 3. That though the love of God be much unto his in every condition yet such as are Gods shall never bee able to know and feele all the love of God to them or so much of Gods love as their desires lead them unto in this life we have our tastes and wee shall never have our fill untill we come to heaven Ephes 3. 19. 4. That the condition of love is one thing and the feeling of love another thing alwaies love is not felt Gods love may bee towards us when his looke is not a tender Father doth many times fold up his love in angry words and harsh actions and a loving God to a sinfull Christian may exercise his love insensibly so as a man may bee in favour when he feeles no favour he may be that in faith which hee is not in sense 5. That such who have not present sense of love may yet have a present ground for Gods love unto them Now the The promise is the ground of love sure ground of Gods love unto us is the promise of love Thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5. 1â— with favour wilt thou compasse him saith David and truth it is that our happinesse stands in this assurance that divine love is in the promise here is our stock and if wee had no more love then what we could hold in sense all love would soone be gone this therefore must be the wisedome of Christians not to judge of their interest unto Gods love by the present actuall feelings of it within their soules but by the gratious promise of love made over unto them on Gods part reason thus what though I cannot feele and find Gods favour to bee towards mee yet Note why should I bee dejected hath not God given out a word of truth for love and favour unto mee 6. That such Christians who have not the present sense of Gods love may have future sense of Gods love Gods love is never totally nor finally withdrawne from his children the suspensions of Gods favour are temporary and God doth many times reserve great assurance unto after times David in confidence of this saith The Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night his song shall bee with mee and my prayer unto the God of my life Psal 42. 8. Thus saith the Church He will bring mee forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Micah 7. 9. This is the reasoning of faith God hath loving kindnesse and hee can shew it and and will shew it I have found him a very loving God unto my soule in times past and why should I doubt of future expectations Simile after a night of darkenesse commeth a day of light and after a storme commeth a calme the cloud may be remooved and I may enjoy my God as fully and as freely as ever heretofore 7. That sense of Gods love is graduall it is neither in all Christians in the same measure and degree nor at all times the same in the same Christians truth it is that as it is one and Simile the same Sun that shineth over the whole world so it is one and the same love of God for kind that is manifested to all Christians yet some have a Love one for kinde different in degree a more large and greater measure and a larger and greater sense of that love then others according to the will and wisedome of God I say it passeth to the sense with much variation now the least assurance of divine love towards us should be a great upholdment of our spirits under the want of much sense and feeling of Gods love within us Ob. Yea could I find any pledges of Gods love to mee
may be my case Sol. True some diseases are dangerous and some are deadly and there are relapses curable and incurable such who falling back out of malice and obstinacie resting themselves in a constant delight of those sinnes into which they have relaâ—sed making their sinne their gaine can gaine no assurance of healing but such as fall backe through incogitancie and infirmitie being exceeding troubled at heart for their sinnes and relapses into their sinnes may expect and shall finde a cure Leave disputing and use these meanes following and by the blessing of God you shall Foure meanes to get out of relapses get out of your diseases of sinne into which you are relapsed First worke the relapses upon your soules repeated sinnes are as broad and deepe wounds of which if a man meane to bee soundly cured hee must admit of a sound and thorough search relapses into sinne are like the returnes of the distemper into the body of which if a man expect to bee rid hee must resolve to fetch up and finde out the distempering cause untill a man soundly feeleth and truly knoweth the evillnesse of relapses hee will not seeke out for any recoverie by the helpe of judgement conscience and the law wee may finde out the full evill of relapses into sin Secondly physick the soule for this sinne wee are to drink downe the bitter potion of repentance wee must not thinke to come off of this sin with a few teares and a little sorrow renewed staines in the soule are not easily gotten off we must lie down in our shame and our confusion must cover Ier. 3. 25. us renewed sinnes must have our renewed sorrowes and renewed hatred the more a man sinnes the more reason hath he to hate sinne and the oftner he sins one sin the more reason hath hee to labour the mortifying of that get above all things a strong and setled hatred and abhomination of all sinnes for time to come and an unfeigned sorrow for sinnes past Thirdly keepe to the Ordinances our spirituall recovery is by meanes who though they can do little of themselves yet being blessed and assisted they can doe much these set out relapses to the life quicken the heart to sorrow breake open the riches of Gods unspeakeable mercy and goodnesse in promises of pardon and healing and doe greatly enable the heart to beleeve all promised mercy Fourthly hast in unto God suing out the promises which hee hath made in the Covenant let no feares or distrusts keepe you off but goe in unto God or else you perish your diseases are your owne but all recoveries doe belong to God Hos 13. 9. Ier 3. 22. who hath undertaken to cure all that returne to him and therefore come to God againe A threefold vvay of comming to God for cure 1. With confession freely and humbly acknowledging your fault with the Church Ier. 3. 13. 2. With petition intreating his pardon and his peace say receive us gratiously Hos 14. 2 4. 3. With faith perswading thy soule from the promise and performance of God that thou shalt be healed There are severall promises made to answer all the possible exigencies of Christians and why doth God make promises of healing and forgiving the backslidings of his people is it not to encourage the hearts of his children to lay hold on that promise and to sue it out in the needfull time surely if we did more speedily and heartily beset the Lord wee should finde a great healing of our revoltings and backslidings CASE VIII Of strange and terrible thoughts following Christians A Christian hath a double conversation from whence troubles doe arise unto him one is outward another is inward that notes the whole carriage of the life this the course of the whole soule a Christian is not a little troubled with himselfe being wise to study himselfe and to finde out the frame and temper of his heart and made tender to feele even the least erroneous flashings of the apprehending facultie such as his thoughts are which doth proove unto him great souleburdens as I shall now open unto you in this manner shewing Foure things about the thoughts of men Three sorts of thoughts 1 Natural to you foure things 1. That thoughts are of three sorts 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall 3. Sinfull Naturall thoughts are those motions stirrings and acts which reside or are framed in the sensible and intellectuall part of man and they doe comprehend under them those reasonings consultations purposes resolutions intents meditations considerations conceits and apprehensions which the understanding by the helpe of fancie frames within it selfe these following the nature of man in constitution and creation and immediately resulting from the mind of man are not unfitly called naturall thoughts man is borne and was made a thinking creature such thoughts will be in us do what we can it being naturall to the mind to be thinking and if we take such thoughts in a simple consideration they are no sinnes or faults the minde of Adam in Creation yea and of Christ himselfe who was in all things like unto us sinne excepted were full of such thoughts rightly composed they had many transactions in their mindes yea and their mindes held notable discourses with the things that they knew and touching things to be done they had their fore-thoughts preparing them to actions and they had their after-thoughts recollecting things done by them Spirituall thoughts are those 2. Spiritual motions and turnings of the minde flowing from the work of grace in the soule and determining themselves in spirituall and supernaturall objects there are two things which doe constitute the spirituallnesse of mans thoughts 1. The originall cause of them namely their springing from a sanctified fountaine that is closed within the soule the mind must bee renewed and sanctified altered and cleansed ere it can and doth yeeld out holy inclinations and motions and have within it holy projects counsells imaginations and reasonings 2. The speciall object of them the thoughts pitching themselves in a right way upon things that are divinely good and making for Gods glory and mans salvation are said to bee spirituall These kinde of thoughts are peculiar unto Gods Saints after regeneration for without the Spirit no man is able to thinke one good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. as for wicked men if wee consider their thoughts formerly they are starke naught yea and if wee consider them objectively they may bee naturally and morally i. e. as they moove in the way of nature and tend to the good of a civill state and countrey good but spiritually good they are not they no way further their sanctification and obedience but doe occasion much hardnesse and sinfullnesse unto them Sinnefull thoughts are the 3. Sinfull motions and stirrings of mans mind unto sinne when the mind by the object or the subject doth muse on sinne and wickednesse representing and acting over the same in imagination and speculation entertaining
105 The Bent of the heart in duty page 263. C. Comfort of the Spirit page 15. Contentment page 17. Clearenesse of conscience page 49 Care for conscience page 55. Content of conscience p. 67 68. Confession of sin page 88. Change of life page 89. Compassion due to the wounded in spirit page 121. Considerations to pity such p. 123. Continuance under wounds caused 6. waies p. 133. Clearing of warrants what p 173 Causes of Gods suspending his love page 177. D. Desperation two fold page 79. Degrees of wounding page 81. Differences in the wounding p 82 Detestation of sin page 89. Dresse the wound page 145. Danger by sinning page 168. Darkning of warrants page 175. Doubtings in their nature causes differences and sorts page 195. Difference betweene Christians and others in doing duties page 266. E. Enquire after sin page 87. Fruitlesse Endeavours page 280. F. Faith doth foure things to strengthen the spirit page 19. It doth foure waies relieve the soule page 23. Fearing of trouble twofold p. 28 29. Faintnesse page 31. A case about Fainting of spirit p. 33. Faith in operation page 54. Feeding of conscience what p. 64 Sin Felt three waies page 85. The Failing of conscience what page 97. To Feare the wounding of spirit page 126. Former feelings of love foure signes of it page 185. Foundations of divine love to the soule page 192 Faith and doubtings go together page 207. Faith to be cherished and advanced page â—27 Failings in duties page 260. G. A Good cause for suffering p 41. A Good carriage under suffering in seaven things page 45. The Goodnesse of spirit seene in seaven things page 48. Graces two waies considerable page 254. H. Humiliation an effect of the wound page 43. Hope page 44. Humility page 86. Harkning to Satan page 138. Humbling necessary for three things page 162. I Infirmity double p. 3. Selfe Iealousie p. 99. Illnesse of diet p. 136. K. Six rules for Keeping off wounds from the spirit p. 128 The Knowledge of the wound of the spirit necessary p. 114. L. Liberty of spirit p. 49. The Law and two things about it p. 94 95. The Life of sense p. 137 225. Three things about Love and duty p. 170. Love one for kind different in degree p. 184. Littlenesse of faith causeth doubts p. 206. Little grace apprehended p. 245. M. Meanes of making conscience good p. 51. The Misery of conscience in silence in three things p. 97. Mistaking about the wound of conscience p. 115. Melancholy is not this wound p. 117 118. Motives to pittie wounded spirits p. 124. Meanes to get off the wounds of spirit three p. 140. Misplacing of warrants p. 174. Motives and meanes against doubtings p. 216. N. New risings of old sins p. 102. Spirituall Nicenesse 137. O. Overlading of conscience what and how p. 63. Operation of melancholy p. 116. Opening of the wound needfull p. 142. P. Patience of the spirit p. 16. Prevention p. 69. Rules for Preserving the spirit from wounds p. 6 128. Provision p. 147. Promises the ground assuring love p. 185. Q. Quietnesse of conscience p. 48. A Question about the inequality of graces p. 256. R. Religion expressed under the crosse p. 43. The Remoovall of sin p. 64. Seven Reasons proving the burden of conscience insupportable p. 106. Releevements under the suspension of Gods love p. 159. For the Regaining of Gods love in sense foure things p. 167. Ten Releevements against doubtings p. 204. Ten Releevements under imperfection of graces p. 248. Five Releevements against failings in duties p. 261. Relapses afâ—er resolutions p. 286. Causes of Relapses nine p. 288. The misery of Relapses p. 296. The kindes of Relapses p. 301. S. A twofold Spirit p. 6. Conscience called a Spirit p. 8. Mans Spirit considered two waies Ibid. Strength of Spirit graduall p. 36. Sinking of Spirit double p. 37. Sleighting of crosses evill p. 39. Sins that are most wounding p. 92 A Seared spirit p. 114. Sense of love graduall p. 167. To Settle the soule in assurance of love p. 176. Sin to be subdued p. 231. T. Thankefullnesse p. 43 125. Tendernesse of spirit p. 49. Tempting of conscience of what p. 58. To Taste divine wrath p. 96. Testimony of Satan put by two waies p. 219. Thoughts 1. In their sorts p 319. 2. In their trouble 3. In their triall 4. In their cure V. Vprightnesse of conscience p. 48. Vse conscience p. 65. Conscience Vexed p. 58. Vnstedfastnesse in walking p. 163 Vnworthinesse p. â—34 W. Weakenesse of spirit p. 28. Wound of spirit p. 73. Want of good p. 103. Willing of cure p. 141. Wash the wound p. 143. Gods Wages p. 281. Waiting must be added to doing page 283. FINIS A Post-Script to the Reader THou hast a promise of Cases in the Epistle unto thee I had no sooner made it but it was called for by desiring and needing Christians time and leasure also serving it is brought forth as fitly agreeing with the subject handled and deemed by men more judicious then my selfe very comforting and setling unto perplexed soules I. S. Errata Page 116. for are the next instruments reade or Page 323. for formerly reade formally